Shukuya
by Ciardha
Summary: A side story miniseries to Rain or Shine, dealing with Naruto and Sakura's time in ANBU
1. Chapter 1

This is a side story to "Rain or Shine" during the time they are in ANBU.  
Chapter 1 begins shortly after the end of chapter 19 of "Rain or Shine".

Shukuya

Chapter 1

This book is so incredible. I can't believe Jiraiya sama didn't write more books like these instead of those perverted books that Kakashi sensei obsesses over! Sakura mused. She was lying under the covers in the brand new full sized bed now ensconced in Naruto's bedroom. 

It had been hard to tear herself away after finishing the first chapter. But she was determined that today was the day she was moving in with Naruto. She marked her place with the folded note that Kushina san must have used the same way. The note had been stuck in between the last page and the cover. It had fallen out when she opened the book. Sakura had just stuck it back in, but got curious once she was alone in Naruto's apartment.

The note had apparently been from Minato to Kushina. It read:

"Sorry I had to leave before saying goodbye this morning. The council called me to an emergency meeting about some serious threat to Konoha. Don't know what is it, probably nothing important- you know them. I should be back, if not tonight, definitely tomorrow, and we'll discuss it. I treasure your insight- you are my wisest advisor! In the meantime, you've got to read this book by my sensei! It's great! I promise it's nothing like that Icha icha book; this one is good and not perverted.

All my love to you, my dearest Kushina,

Minato" 

Sakura folded the note back closed; she'd give it to Naruto after she finished the book. She knew Naruto needed to process the emotions of seeing his parents stuff. She was glad Sasuke had gone with him. They could talk if Naruto wanted. Although, talking about dead parents wouldn't be easy for Sasuke either. She sighed; she couldn't relate to that- having had both parents, if not great ones, her whole life.

She was glad neither of her parents were at home when she sneaked in to get her things. She packed up all her clothes she liked, and all the mementoes she'd gathered over her childhood. She left a terse note for her parents:

"Have become part of ANBU, must live on my own now.

Sakura"

It was technically true, she was in ANBU starting tomorrow. You were encouraged not to live with anyone not in ANBU because of the danger posed by being ANBU. She knew that already. It made an excellent way to get away without having to deal with her parents haranguing her. You were encouraged to live with other ANBU members again because of the dangers of that life. That made her living with Naruto perfectly normal. Well, technically, they should be living together with other members of their squad, but she didn't think they'd care for the entertainment. Sakura blushed at her own pervertedness; she knew what was going to happen as soon as Naruto knew she was ready for it. She wanted it as badly as he did.

Carrying the mattress and box springs had been a pain. It wasn't that it was all that heavy; it was just the size of the mattress. The bed frame had been a breeze. She dismantled Naruto's bed and leaned the old mattress and springs against the wall. She'd let him decide what they'd do with it. By the time she got the full sized bed assembled and the covers put on it, she was tired. She took a shower, put on a nightgown, picked up the novel and crawled into bed. She realized she had dozed off for bit when she awoke and it was dark out. She turned on the bedroom light and went back to reading.

She looked down at her nightgown and despaired that it wasn't terribly sexy- full length, caftan style flannel gown with a crew neck, and long sleeves. It was her favorite at home cold weather nightgown. She didn't have anything that looked sexy on her to sleep in other than her old uniform tunic that now fit snugly against her breasts and bottom. It was too tight for her to wear in public, and too cold to wear this time of year.

She sighed; this gown would have to do, because as much as she loved him she wasn't going to freeze her ass off to look sexy. She shrugged and chuckled over her silliness then, like he'd care about the unsexiness of her nightgown when he found out she was saying yes to being lovers.

"Hey Sasuke, thanks for spending all this time with me." Naruto smiled.

"It's okay. It was good catching up with all that's happened. You and Sakura have really changed in the last three years. "

"Hope that's a compliment!" Naruto shouted but his grin gave the lie to the tone.

Sasuke's mouth turned up in the hint of a smile. "It is. Sakura, especially has changed. She's strong and confident and seems like a grown woman. You're quiet a lot more, not putting on a show so much to hide your feelings."

"Yeah, things happened, got too hard to pretend to always be happy."

"Sorry."

"You being gone and with Orochimaru was part of it, but there were other things too."

"The Akatsuki, right?"

"Yeah, that's part of it too."

"What else?"

Naruto sighed and looked sad and serious. "You know I'm a Jinchuuriki?"

"Yeah."

"It's an awful thing to be."

"None of us will completely understand how bad it is, but I'll try, and I know Sakura does."

"Sakura chan really does try hard, she understands more than anyone other than another Jinchuuriki could. It hurts sometimes to see how much she does- she'll start to cry. Seeing that anguish in her eyes…." Naruto's eyes closed, vividly recalling that look. He felt so bad that she knew just how much a burden he carried. As happy as he was she fully returned his love, giving her part of that burden made him feel sad. Yet she had returned his love with full knowledge of what he was and the dangers of his life. She was so fiercely protective too, seeing her like that made him awestruck and kind of horny. "Sakura chan is someone very precious, and special." Naruto relaxed and opened his eyes with a smile.

"I may not understand it as much as she does, but I'll try to. The things I learned that brought me back here and made me renounce my clan, it's a dark burden I'll always carry." Sasuke's expression closed off.

"Yeah, I don't understand a clan like that, or the Hyuuga's with how they treated the secondary families... My father's intentions were for the greatest good, and he had so much confidence in my strength to handle the Kyubi… I don't know if I can be that person he dreamed I would be."

Sasuke was surprised, he doesn't know how strong he already is. "Naruto, I've known you since we were two orphaned boys in the Academy. You'll be that person, and with Sakura by your side now, I'm certain you will." 

Naruto was stunned. Sasuke had acknowledged him as a great shinobi. "Sasuke…"

"I refused to see that back when we were Genin, that you had a potential greater than mine. I couldn't deal with you being stronger than me. Now I can. You'll be a great Hokage. I'll be here to help you in any way of getting to your goal."

Naruto was overwhelmed, he was so amazed at Sasuke's words that he couldn't think of what to say.

Sasuke was amused by Naruto's stunned expression. "You better get back to Sakura, she's probably starting to wonder if you'll come back home tonight."

Naruto grinned. He hadn't let it slip that he and Sakura hadn't moved in together yet, let Sasuke think he and Sakura were lovers, it made him look cool and a man- he had a real girlfriend. He liked having something more grown up over on Sasuke. But he was curious if any Konoha girl had caught his eye in the week he'd been back.  
"Oh yeah, Sakura chan is probably still reading that stupid book of Ero Senin's waiting for me to get back, unless it was so disgusting she tossed it back in the box. Say, Sasuke, any girl around here you'd like to date?"

"Hadn't really paid any attention."

"Seriously? Sakura's friend Ino is still available, I think. She's gotten pretty hot looking, then there's Hinata, she's kind of quiet and faints a lot but if you're into girls like that I don't think she has a boyfriend yet and she's got the kind of shape that Ero Senin calls the perfect type- big boobs and hips. You like girls shaped like that?"

"Not really." Sasuke was feeling uncomfortable. He didn't think Naruto was ready to find out he was gay yet. He'd already seen how uncomfortable Naruto got around guys he knew were gay. Sasuke valued their newly restored friendship too much to spring something like that on him just yet. He'll start putting it together eventually. Better he learns gradually.

Naruto shrugged. He could see Sasuke wasn't interested in the Konoha girls, maybe he had been involved with that kunoichi that dumped him when Sasuke decided to come back to Konoha. If so, I guess his taste is girls with long hair but no boobs or hips. I'll leave it for now, he'll find some girl he likes, eventually. I'm sure he's still got plenty of fangirls who'd jump at the chance to be with Sasuke. "See you later!"

"Later!" 

Naruto saw a light was still on in his apartment as he approached. Hmm, maybe the book actually is good and Sakura chan is still there reading it. He walked in the door and saw the light was coming from the bedroom. Maybe she went in there for something and forgot to turn the light off when she left. He walked toward the bedroom and his jaw dropped open in surprise. There was a full sized bed in the room and Sakura chan was asleep in it!

"Sakura chan?"

"Naruto." Groggily she answered, then smiled at his astonished face. Even cuter than she imagined...

"What's going on?" He was utterly confused.

"I'm moving in." .

Naruto face broke into the biggest dorkest grin for a moment, then settled into normal smile. "I'm so happy, Sakura chan."

She smiled back, then tenderly said, "You look tired, come to bed."

He nodded and started taking off his clothes while he looked around for his pajamas.

"On the chair."

"Oh yeah, there they are."

Sakura enjoyed the view while he stripped down to just his boxers. He was neither skinny nor overly muscled, his body was a medium build and wonderfully toned.

He sat down on the bed and Sakura pulled the covers up over his legs. He laid down and she curled herself next to him. His arms wrapped around her and she relaxed into his embrace. She picked up the book from the nightstand.

"It's a beautiful book, Naruto. Nothing like his other books, he should write more like this one rather than those."

"Really?"

"Yes, the character has a personality a lot like yours, a real hero. I can see why your parents wanted to name you after him. You should read this book after I finish it. I'm almost done, now."

Sakura opened the book and finished the last five pages. Then she closed the book with a sigh and a smile and handed it to Naruto.

"What's this?" He pointed to the folded over note Sakura had used as a bookmark.

"It's a note from your dad to your mom."

Naruto opened the note and read. Then he looked at Sakura, "I want us to be like that Sakura chan, for you to be my most trusted advisor, as well as the person I love most in the world."

"Oh Naruto." Sakura kissed him gently. "You are the person I love most in the world too."

Sakura smiled indulgently after Naruto had been reading an hour with no sign of boredom or restlessness. In fact, he had shifted to a more comfortable reading position. Sakura sat behind him with the pillows propping her up; Naruto lay with his head against her chest. She ran her fingers through his hair from time to time, eliciting a pleased murmur from Naruto. She said nothing until his head drooped and he started to lightly snore.

"Naruto, you're falling asleep now, you can read more tomorrow."

"But it's so interesting!" He said with a slight whine. "I've never read anything before that didn't bore me!"

Sakura kissed his forehead. "I know how interesting it is. I was reading it till I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. But it's after midnight now, and we've got to meet up with Tsunade shishou at 6 AM. Let's go to sleep for now."

"Okay." Reluctantly he handed the book to Sakura, who could reach the nightstand easier than he could. She placed it on the table and turned out the lights. They shifted back to cuddling.

"Goodnight Naruto" she murmured.  
"Nite Sakura chan". He kissed the top of her head, then let himself drift off to sleep, feeling more loved and secure than he had ever felt in his life.


	2. Chapter 2

Mature themes start in this chapter.

Shukuya  
Chapter 2

"bedeep, bedeep, bedeep, bedeep, be-"

Sakura groaned and turned the alarm off, sigh, 4:30 in the morning, time to get up. She figured with the two of them they'd need more time.

"Sakura chan?"

"Uh huh, time to get up and start getting ready."

"4:30? We don't have to be there till 6, and it's just 5 minutes from here."

"But there's two of us here now, we'll need more time to get ready."

"Heh, are you sure that's the only reason you set the alarm so early?" He grinned cockily. He was more than ready and Sakura looked so cute and sexy...

She blushed. "I know we'll do it eventually, but I'm not sure now I'm quite ready for it this morning."

His smile gentled "Okay. Let's get breakfast then." Bad Naruto, he chided himself. You never push the woman you love that way, it's about love, not just getting off.

She smiled in relief, it was embarrassing to get cold feet about it, when she had been eager for it last night, but that cocky grin had made her feel a bit anxious that he'd been experienced and she was still a virgin, she didn't want to do something pathetically wrong and look like an idiot. Plus, as eager as she felt being completely vulnerable made her nervous. Years of being a ninja made any situation where she was physically vulnerable a bit scary. But that sweet smile and tone he just gave her made her feel comfortable and turned on all over again. But she'd just told him she wasn't ready yet, what's he going to think if I say oh I changed my mind, now I want to. She sighed, he'll think I'm nuts or something. She followed him into his kitchen.

"All I have for breakfast is miso soup, hope you don't mind-"

Sakura grinned and tossed him an orange "Here you go! I bought some groceries yesterday too. But miso soup sounds good too."

"Okay." He did try to eat some things besides ramen nowadays. It was still his favorite food, but he liked a few fruits too now. He still hated most vegetables though. Sakura chan must be pretty observant, oranges were the fruit he liked best, acquiring a taste for cherries too, he smirked. He'd love to taste her all over. I better not say that though, not yet, she'd get totally pissed off, or worse look at him nervously, like she had this morning. That was even more a punch in the gut than a real one from a pissed off Sakura would be. He never wanted to scare her that way again.

Sakura smiled and watched him eat the orange while the miso soup heated up on the stove. He seemed to be completely concentrated on watching the soup. He was such a good man. She felt so right being here with him. She wanted to know what it was like to feel him touch her all over... she blushed lightly at that image.

When Naruto set their soup bowls down Sakura kissed him. She had intended it to just be a light kiss, but Naruto immediately deepened it, and she eagerly responded. His hands pulled her from the chair and she wrapped her legs around him as they continued the kiss. Her bottom hit the edge of the sink, and she hitched herself onto it while still maintaining the kiss. Naruto released his arms from the embrace and began to run them down her sides, lingering on the sides of her breasts. When he brushed his fingers over where he guessed her nipples would be under the nightgown, she broke from the kiss with a gasp.

"Too far?" He asked apologetically, and took his hands away.

"No." Sakura smiled reassured. "Felt really good." She put his hands back on her breasts, and moaned with desire when Naruto made circular stroking motions with his fingers. She pulled his head back down and resumed the kiss, then did the same thing with her hands over his pajama top. Naruto moved one of his hands away from her breasts and lifted up the hem of her nightgown to above her knees. He then went under the gown and slowly traced his hand up her thighs. Sakura parted her legs and tilted her body back so she was open to him. When he touched her clitoris, her body spasmed erotically, breaking the kiss again.

"Do you want me to stop now, Sakura chan? I know you said you weren't ready for sex yet. If we stop now it'll be easier than if we go further."

"Okay." It was getting a bit intense, and he was right, if they'd gone on any longer it would have happened, and she still felt a bit confused, wanting it, but nervous too. She wanted to feel sure when it happened. It'd also give her a bit of time to research things. She blushed and hoped no one caught her researching with erotic books.

Naruto took his hand from under gown and stepped back with a reassuring smile. They both trembled slightly at the let down from the sexual arousal.

They ate their now room temperature miso soup, barely noticing it was no longer hot, their eyes on each other with dreamy smiles.

After finishing their breakfast they headed back to the bedroom to change into their regular clothes. They would receive their ANBU clothing and choose their masks in Tsunade's office. Naruto politely took the bathroom, giving Sakura privacy in the bedroom to get dressed.

"Alright, while you are in ANBU you will go under different names while on missions. Sakura, I have chosen Akegata for you."

Sakura nodded, probably using the symbols for "dawn", she smiled, likely because of her hair color. She wondered if Naruto would get a similar name.

Naruto, your name is Mahiru, with the meaning "mid day". You and Sakura will be the "day" team, Sasuke and Sai will be the "night" team. Sasuke will be going by Yorunaka and Sai Yuuro. You will be one team but will operate as two except when in battle or missions where all four of you must work directly together. You two will go in with a minimum of stealth. I want whoever you encounter to be fooled by your straight forward methods into under estimating you."

Naruto nodded. A few years ago he might have misunderstood that as an insult, but now he knew it was actually a compliment. She was praising him using his personality in a cunning way in battle and was confident in his use of that tactic.

"Sasuke and Sai will be the stealth team, not seen unless it is necessary. These tactics work with your strengths. Sakura, you already know your other focus with your medic nin training. Once your training is over Sakura will make the final word on any tactics you decide to use on your missions, that includes Sasuke and Sai, who need training working under a medical nin, but you will take the lead position Naruto."

Sakura was awed by Tsunade shishou's confidence in her to be the final word on mission plans.

"During your training, which won't be just with Yamato and Kakashi, but also with Jiraiya, once he is released from the hospital next week, and myself. Sasuke will receive the least training from Kakashi, while Sakura will receive the most, with the role she will be playing on the team I want her to be training directly with the best ANBU field team leader we've ever had. Sasuke will receive the most training with Jiraiya, as he wishes to take the role of Konoha's primary spymaster. His tactics will be very different from Jiraiya's of course, but under that persona Jiraiya loves to be, he's a very competent spy. Sai will receive the most training from Yamato, as they've both been in ANBU many years, but in specialized ranks. You, Naruto will receive the most training from me, because you will succeed me as Hokage and I want to train you in things you'll need to know, the sooner the better."

"You really have picked me as the next Hokage?"

"Yes, barring my death before your training is finished." Tsunade looked solemn, she knew the real threat Danzo and Root posed her and Konoha, which was why Yamato would train Sai for this type teamwork. He could make sure the boy's loyalty had truly shifted to Naruto and Konoha's Hokage. Should Root act with or without Sai, and she was murdered, Kakashi would become Hokage until Naruto became strong and skilled enough to take over as Hokage. Kakashi should have no difficulties gaining the votes of any council member not directly tied to Danzo and Root.

Naruto refused to even think of her dying. He laughed. "You'll live to be really old lady Tsunade Baasama!"

Tsunade grimaced at that obnoxious nickname. Sakura sighed, she wished he'd quit calling Tsunade shishou that name, it really irritated her.

"Alright you two, now pick your masks." She waved them over to a table covered with the animal masks ANBU members wore whenever they were on duty.

Naruto grinned and went first. He jerked his head away from where the fox mask was as if he'd been slapped. Tsunade and Sakura both felt a sympathic pain. Tsunade felt like kicking herself, I should have thought to not have that one here! But Naruto's smile returned as he picked up a toad mask. "I'll take this one."

Tsunade smiled, Jiraiya will be pleased with his choice.

Sakura made sure she didn't even glance in the direction the fox mask lay on the table. I should choose an unassuming animal just like Naruto, one that fits the image we are supposed to project of something underestimated. She spotted a mask of a hare, with floppy ears that curved around the sides of the face, and smiled. "I'll take this one."

Tsunade nodded. Sakura had remembered the role the day team would play, Naruto's choice of his summon animal would work on that level too. She had been surprised that Sasuke had chosen a hawk, considering he had noted it had a symbolic connection to his clan. Perhaps he was recalling the good people of his clan and wanting to honor them. Good. Sai had chosen a tiger mask for his new ANBU position. Tsunade was pleased that he appeared to be making a few breaks from Danzo's control, and knew Danzo had to be displeased. That made her smile. If even one Root member could be taken from Danzo's power base, then perhaps more could. Sasuke would be good at spotting those with Sai's help. For the good of Konoha Danzo's power must be weakened.

"You're dismissed for the day. We'll start the real training tomorrow. You'll probably want to visit Jiraiya in the hospital, Naruto. He can tell you more about your parents than I can. You know I left Konoha years before you were born. Your parents were just starting to fall in love when I left."

Naruto nodded. He was worried about Ero-Sennin anyway. He looked so much weaker than he ever had, Sakura said she found out he'd just barely survived, even with Baasama exhausting herself to save his life.

"Sakura, if you want to do a shift at the hospital you can, but I think you'd rather spend it with Naruto?" Tsunade teased

Sakura blushed, "Hai, shishou."

"Good! Because when you are training the next three weeks, you'll not see each other much and when you do you'll probably be too tired for more than a goodnight kiss!" Tsunade's eyes danced with amusement, she was overjoyed these two had finally become a couple, but it was so fun to tease them!

"Baasama!"  
"Shishou!"

Tsunade laughed full out and dismissed her blushing proteges.


	3. Chapter 3

Later the same day as chapter 2. Mature rated- love making, older shoujo manga/romance novel style.

Shukuya  
Chapter 3

Naruto and Sakura decided to take advantage of the day off and do romantic things together. It was a rare warm and sunny autumn day, so they decided to do a picnic by the river.

"Tsunade shishou told me recently, that she and her fiance Dan san, came out here a lot. She loved this place and so did he. They spent hours out here." Sakura smiled. Tsunade shishou seemed to want to share things about her youth recently, especially romantic related things.

"Funny to think of baasama being all romantic with a guy."

"She was young and in love once too, you know." Sakura defended.

"Sorry, Sakura chan. I just meant she doesn't seem the type that is into romantic stuff."

"She is, actually." Sakura giggled. "She still reads romance novels on the sly. She hides them from Shizune san because she thinks Tsunade shishou is way too old to read those kind of books. I think it's kind of funny that she's that girly underneath, but she was really in love with Dan san, and I think she has some feelings for Jiraiya sama too, the way she looks at him sometimes..."

Naruto laughed, "Sorry Sakura chan! But come on, can you imagine baasama and Ero Sennin getting all lovey-dovey-"

Sakura couldn't help it, the image was hysterical, she snickered then broke out into a full laugh. After they both laughed for a few minutes, Sakura calmed herself and said, "Naruto, I feel weird asking this, but have you been with other girls, you know, when you were training with Jiraiya sama?"

Naruto's smile dropped from his face and he looked ashamed. "Yeah. One. It was on my fifteenth birthday. Erosenin pushed me into doing it." Naruto scowled. "He said, 'You don't want to hurt your girl do you?'. All I could picture was you, that I'd hurt you."

"Oh Naruto." Sakura looked sad. It had been presumptuous of him to think she'd be "his girl" at the time, but she knew he'd loved her all along. For Jiraiya sama to prey on that to draw Naruto into his perverted lifestyle... Tsunade shishou would probably pummel him into next week if she found out. She'd keep it a secret, just because Naruto had, and Jiraiya sama was so weak right now. "Was it humiliating for you?"

"Yeah, kind of. Embarrassing, really embarrassing. She was giving me all these compliments on my body and stuff and it made me feel weird. Plus I knew she was paid to say those kind of things so it felt like a bunch of lies."

Sakura leaned against him and took his hand. "I'm not angry, Naruto. You didn't do it for some perverted reason."

He nodded, grateful that it didn't make her mad at him.

"I hope it wasn't all a terrible experience."

Naruto looked at her surprised.

"Even if it wasn't with the person you loved, your first time should have some good, I think."

Naruto, swallowed and blushed. "I did, do you know."

"What?"

"Umm, get off."

"That's good"

"It was kind of embarrassing too though, she gave me all these really personal compliments about 'my innate skills' and it just made me feel all weird again."

"Oh."

"Sakura chan, I hope something good did come out of it though, I hope she really did teach me how to make you happy and to hurt you as little as possible if it's your first time."

Sakura blushed. "Yes, Naruto, when we do it, it will be my first time." She looked at Naruto, she knew he had feelings for her for years, but the way he was talking now, it was so full of consideration and love, it made her feel like she was ready right now to be with him. She tilted her head up and looked at him trustingly.

Naruto leaned his head down and they began to kiss. Sakura felt her eyes drift close with passion and contentment. When they drew back from the kiss Naruto asked gently

"Do you-"

"Yes." She put his hand on her breast.

While he gently caressed one breast, he unzipped her top with the other. She lifted the top over her head, then lay back on the blanket, her breasts now covered only by her plain black bra. She reached up and unzipped his jacket. He smiled and pulled his arms out of it and tossed it aside. For a few minutes both just looked at the other. Naruto now only covered at the top by the mesh shirt many ninja favored as an undershirt. He pulled it off so that his chest was bare.

Sakura ran her hands over the subtly defined muscles of his chest. Naruto really was becoming a man, Sakura smiled. His body was now more man's than boy's, just like her's was now more woman than girl's. Naruto was tentative again, hesitant to actually put his hands on the front closure to her bra. Sakura smiled reassuredly, she wasn't scared yet. Gently she took one hand away from his chest and undid the bra closure, letting it fall away from her breasts.

"You're so beautiful Sakura chan."

"You're really a handsome man, Naruto."

She took both his hands this time and placed them on her breasts. When he pressed gently down on her nipples, she gasped and her body jolted toward him. "Naruto..." her voice became breathy with desire as he started making soft circles from her nipples to the edge of her areola. Sakura brought up her hands and copied that move on his chest. "Sakura chan!" he shouted with a rush of desire. trembling with passion and nervousness they drew back from each other.

"Are you sure Sakura chan?" Naruto asked as he began to draw down his pants.

"Yes." She removed her skirt and took a deep breath as she pulled down her shorts and panties at the same time.

Naruto saw that and hooked his thumb under his boxer waistband. Then he laughed when both got tangled up in his shoe tops. He let himself flop backwards.

Sakura was laughing too. Her boots fit tighter to her legs than his shoe tops, but she had hit an awkward spot too when she tried to pull the snug fitting pants and panties over the clunky 7 centimeter heels of her boots.

"We forgot to take our shoes off first!" Sakura began to giggle.

"Hey Sakura chan? I can help you get yours off and you can do mine." He grinned at their predicament.

"That's a good idea."

After a bit of awkward fumbling and more laughter both shoes and pants were off for both.

For a few minutes they both took in the view of each other, completely naked in a tender embrace.

"I'm happy Naruto."

"Me too." He began to caress the side of her hip. She lay back down on the blanket and drew him down on top of her. They began to touch each other again.

When Naruto put his hand on her inner thigh, he looked at her questioningly.

"Yes."

He began to stroke her clitoris and she moved with that rhythm. she tried to reach for his penis to give him the same pleasure.

"Not this time Sakura chan. It's your first time, and I don't think I could do it the right way if you touched me there. Let me do it this way this time, okay?" When she reached to stroke his nipples, he gently restrained her hands for a moment. "That gets me too excited too, please, Sakura chan let me be tender with you this time, okay?"

"Alright." Sakura satisfied herself with tenderly stroking his face and hair, and kissing him back.

"Thanks Sakura chan. I promise, after this time, I'd love to feel you do those things, and anything else you'd like to do to me." He let just a hint of a leer cross his face, then tenderly kissed her again, as his hand continued to stroke her clitoris, in a swirling motion that alternated between light and hard, speeding up the rate as he saw her body begin to convulse. "Naruto!" She cried as her first orgasm hit.

"I love you Naruto." Sakura said, catching her breath.

"I love you too Sakura chan." Naruto said as he moved his penis into her vagina slowly and gently.

Sakura instinctively spread her legs wider, allowing Naruto to sink into her deeper. "Ohh" she moaned with the combination of intense pleasure with a slight pain from the muscles attempting to stretch to accommodate him. Sakura concentrated her chakra down there and let the stretching muscles relax. Immediately the pain dropped to almost nothing and the pleasure took over.

Naruto felt the increased warmth of the chakra and it felt wonderful. She was warm and snug around him now, without the tightness he'd felt at first. That tightness made him feel anxious, and decreased to blood flow to his penis. When that chakra flow touched it and her muscles relaxed, the blood rushed back to his penis. Sakura felt his size increase and realized the chakra flow felt good to him too. They looked at each other in wonderment. Neither had know about this before now. They kissed again as Naruto began to move rhythmically, drawing out slightly then going deeper.

Sakura's body responded and with each motion back she moved upward, each move down, she moved her hips into more of a tilt toward his chest. Soon her legs were wrapped around his back, with her feet pushing him deeper with each plunge into her. Their movements became sharp and fast.

"Naruto!" Sakura screamed in ecstasy as the strongest orgasm she'd ever had hit, making her body convulse upward again and again.

"Sakura chan!" Naruto grabbed her hips tightly as he finally reached his summit and released himself deep within her.

Tenderly they kissed in the afterglow of intense pleasure.

"I could just go to sleep right here, like this" Sakura murmured.

"Me too." He grinned sleepily. "I'm not too heavy though?" Naruto looked concerned.

"No. I feel like I'm floating, you there feels like a warm blanket."

"Bed does sound good." Naruto sighed regretfully. "We better get dressed Sakura chan. Someone could come along, plus the sun is starting to go down. It'll get cold soon." He handed her panties and shorts, she reached for his boxers and gave them to him.

"You're so good Naruto. I wish I could have seen that when I was a silly twelve year old."

"I was silly too, Sakura chan. You made me grow up and become a better man." He handed her skirt to her and she found his mesh shirt, halfway under the blanket.

"Me?" She looked astonished as she handed him his shirt.

"You. I was acting like an idiot, trying to annoy you into giving in to dating me." He handed Sakura her bra, she put it back on and handed him his pants.

Sakura giggled. "It annoyed me then, but now I feel different, it was kind of cute."

"Really?" Naruto grinned, overjoyed inside. He handed her, her shirt and she his jacket. They helped each other put their last articles of clothes on.

"Yes, really. Why do you think I almost never turned you down when you turned it into a playful thing when you came back? I liked it, because it reminded me both of when we were more innocent of the world and were the rookie Team 7 all together, and it was a way I was trying to let you know I did love you now- loved that boy that left to train and the near man that returned..."

"Sakura chan..." Naruto was overwhelmed, his eyes began to well up tears from the joy overflowing inside him and the complete love from her. Embarrassed he started to duck his head and turn away.

Sakura stopped him, and looked up into his eyes, her own tears flowing freely. She felt like every cell in her body was completely in love with him right now. They kissed, tasting the salt from each other's tears of joy and love.

"Sakura chan?"

"Yes?" She replied absently, as they both put their shoes back on and Sakura spotted the missing picnic basket, down the bottom of the hill, upside down and halfway in the lake. She grinned, good thing it was empty and so ratty that she had been considering dumping it when she pulled it out of Naruto's closet. Naruto had said it was good enough for one more trip though, so she had shrugged and used it. Definitely to be thrown away now. It nicely served it's purpose. Now they could get a new one that belonged to both of them.

Naruto could tell by her tone she was distracted by something, then he spotted the poor picnic basket.

"Oh man, must have knocked it down the hill accidentally."

"It's okay Naruto. Let's throw that one away and buy one together. It will be ours."

"That's what I wanted to ask you about." Then he laughed embarrassedly. "Not the picnic basket-"  
Sakura laughed, and gently flicked his chin.

He grinned, but then looked serious. "I know we're together now, but still, I'd like to ask you..." He took a deep breath "Will you marry me, Sakura chan?"

"Yes." Her answer was instantaneous and confident. "Whenever Tsunade shishou lets us."

"Yeah, we're in ANBU now. We'll have to get her okay. She'll probably make us wait till we're 18 anyway."

"My parents would likely put some obstacles too, if we tried now. Once I'm 18 though we could, if Tsunade shishou okays it."

"Probably should wait till I'm 18 too then."

"Two year engagement sounds okay to me. It's not like we won't be living together until then. Gives us plenty of time to save up and prepare for getting married, and" her voice turned softer and her eyes tender, "having kids."

Naruto's eyes closed and he smiled in wonderment. Sakura chan wants to have a family with me. Someday I will be a father and Sakura chan will be the mother of those kids. Definitely not just one kid, too lonely. Unless Sakura chan just wants one, but no, she said kids, plural... His eyes still closed and his mouth curved in a smile, he asked, "How many kids do you want Sakura chan?"

Now her eyes closed and she smiled as well. "I'd like a big family, three or maybe even four kids."

"That sounds wonderful Sakura chan." He opened his eyes and embraced her. She leaned her head against his chest, and put an arm around his back. They watched the sun set together.


	4. Chapter 4

This chapter takes place 1 week after Rain or Shine chapter 25, and one month after Shukuya, chapter 3

Shukuya  
Chapter 4

"From now on until you complete the mission you must call each other by the names I assigned you, understand?"

All four nodded in the affirmative.

"Akegata is team captain, her only superior on this mission is Yamato. Mahiru, you are next because it's crucial to your training to become Hokage. Yorunaka, you are fourth and in charge when the team splits into night and day subteams. Akegata and Yamato will decide which team he will back up. Yuuro, you are lowest ranked on this mission but as you are an experienced ANBU and Yorunaka is not, he should take counsel from you on subteam actions. Is this understood?"

All gave swift nods

"Now for your mission. Normally this testing mission would be A rank rather than S rank, but this team is uniquely qualified so I'm sending you."

Naruto and Sasuke both grinned, Sai looked impassive, and Yamato and Sakura looked a bit worried.

"We have discovered two spies on our border with River Country. We suspect they are lower level Akatsuki."

Sakura gasped and clutched Naruto's arm. Naruto looked at Sakura through his mask, and said calmly. "It's alright, Sa- Akegata taichou."

"Very good, Mahiru. Just make sure you always call her Akegata on missions." Tsunade praised Naruto. "Akegata, do you feel like you aren't competent to lead this mission?"

"I will lead it Hokage sama." Sakura paused. "It being the Akatsuki, and so close just shocked me for a moment."

"Hmm, very well. Yes, even lower ranked Akatsuki are a major threat. That is why this is an S rank. They must be eliminated, no information should be allowed to reach their leadership. Your team, and yourself, are the best qualified team to take on the Akatsuki."

"Hokage sama?"

"Yes, Yamato."

"Perhaps Kakashi sempai might be more qualified than I on this mission. He was more successful at fighting an Akatsuki than I."

"that's debatable. Besides your chakra stamina is higher, and you are more helpful for Mahiru than Kakashi. Kakashi is preparing to lead the other ANBU team test, anyway."

"So Kakashi sensei is going to test Ino and Shino's team?" Sakura asked

Tsunade smiled. "Yes. They should be going out for their test at the end of this week."

"Tell them I hope they have good luck!" Sakura said.

"Me too! It'll be great to work with them as ANBU! " Naruto spoke enthusiastically.

"That's if you all pass." Tsunade smiled though, as she said this. "Now, back to your mission briefing. This team of spies has killed one border guard and injured another. Take no mercy with them, they must be eliminated. How is up to you- that is your test. You have my leave to go."

Two days later they found the spies. Luck was with them, they spotted the spies before the spies did them.

"Everyone remember the plan?" Sakura asked.

Nods from the others, but Naruto whispered in her ear sexily: "Yes, Akegata taichou." He was going to enjoy this plan, even if the taking down of the spies wasn't done by him.

Sakura felt her face blush under the mask, and a small flame of lust burned in her belly. Naruto could speak incredibly sexy when he wanted to. It was going to be hard to concentrate on what the others were doing shortly, she smirked.

She and Naruto had changed out of their ANBU gear and into yukata. They both did a henge that changed their appearance. Naruto had mud brown hair and a light beard, she had wavy auburn hair and deeper green eyes. They decided to go with their ANBU codenames to play this part as well.

They ran into the clearing where the spies would see them clearly. They faked being civilians.

Pretending to gasp for breath, Naruto gasped out "Akegata chan, are you alright?"

Similarly faking breathlessness Sakura said, "Yes, Mahiru, my love."

"I hope we are far enough away your father gives up chasing after us."

"But he might go back to Konoha and hire out ninjas to track us down. We should cross over the border and go to a village in River Country. We have skills, some village is sure to welcome us!"

"You are so smart Akegata chan. We'll be free to be married and have a family."

"Father won't be able to pressure me anymore to marry his best friend's disgusting perverted son!"

"I'm glad we ran away Akegata chan, before that piece of garbage could hurt you. If he had touched you I would have killed him with my bare hands."

"Oh Mahiru, kiss me please."

The couple began to kiss. The Akatsuki spies were totally taken in by the spectacle, especially when the man slid his hand inside the woman's yukata and began to stroke her breast. She moaned passionately-

Thunk! Sasuke and Sai decapitated the two spies. They'd been so preoccupied by the spectacle playing out in front of them, that they never noticed the two pale dark haired men come up behind them with swords drawn.

Sasuke and Sai ascertained that neither men had any kind of regenerating ability, then signaled to Yamato. Yamato closed the bodies up in wooden caskets and sunk them into the earth. "Akegata, Mahiru, come join us." He called out.

Naruto and Sakura reluctantly broke from the close embrace, and walked back to where the others were waiting.

"Your plan worked perfectly, Akegata. You've all passed. You are officially ANBU Team Shukuya."


	5. Chapter 5

Shukuya  
Chapter 5

Naruto chuckled again "Watch out for the big blonde guy."

They had succeeded in their borderline A ranked mission. They caught the rogue ninjas without doing much harm to them or letting them do much harm. The job had been just to capture this gang not take them down. Their crimes had been relatively minimal, thievery with only one case of minor physical assault. The chances were these thieves would receive fairly light sentences, and then encouraged to use their skills to help out their village, rather than harm it. Just as Naruto was making a surprise move that ended the battle, one of the thieves had shouted the warning: "Watch out for the big blonde guy!"

Naruto was so pleased by those words that he even offered that thief some instant ramen after they had been secured. It was now the morning of the next day, the thieves turned over to the village leader, and team Shukuya on its return trip to Konoha, and he was still in high spirits.

Sakura just rolled her eyes good naturedly; it was kind endearing to see him acting so boyishly gleeful. He had been solemn since the last mission. It hadn't been pleasant for her either. She was still having nightmares about it.

It was their first S ranked mission. They had to kill a whole gang that had been terrorizing a border town. What made it so awful was the gang had some kids in it only about 10 or 11, and none of the gang members had been ninjas. Team Shukuya seriously out powered them, but every last one fought to the death, would not surrender. Even Sai seemed at bit unnerved afterward.

They had been given this borderline A ranked mission to allow them to mentally recover from the S ranked mission. Tsunade shishou had talked to Naruto and her privately after the mission debriefing.

"I always hated S ranked missions. You feel like you've been polluted. But both of you needed to experience this. Naruto, if you are to become Hokage, you had to understand how an S ranked mission makes shinobi feel. Sakura, if you are to succeed me as the Head Medic Nin of Konoha, you had to understand not just the physical danger, but the psychological effect of an S ranked mission- being the best medic nin means treating both the mind and the body, as you know."

They both nodded.

"Now, your next mission should prove to be easy and not traumatic, but it could always become more dangerous than it appears, so it's ranked a borderline A mission and your pay will be at least that- I've made sure of that. It's possible it could be higher if the mission is completed quickly and well."

"Hey, Sakura chan, thinking of me?" Naruto teased, noticing the faint smile on Sakura's face and her unfocused eyes.

"Naruto, you pervert." Sakura responded with a mildly irritated tone.

"Hey!" He protested "I didn't say that you were thinking of me naked!" He mock protested, then grinned, having turned the words back on her.

"But, I know you were thinking about me that way." She still made an effort to sound annoyed, but her eyes twinkled with amusement.

Naruto winked and laughed. Sakura lightly smacked him on the arm, but she was faintly smiling. Naruto was back to his old self.

A half hour later they were all comfortably soaking in the hot springs. Naruto, Sasuke and Sai on the men's side, Sakura on the women's side.

Naruto frowned, yeah Sasuke and even Sai were friends but he'd much rather be in the hot springs with Sakura. It was so frustrating to know right on the other side of the partion Sakura was soaking naked. He leered, too bad this wasn't a mixed bathing hot spring... He had to fight the temptation to try to peak at her. That would get her angry, not so much that he wanted to see her naked, but that he would be looking at other naked women too.

Sasuke chuckled softly- he saw a way get Naruto back for the annoyance of the last couple of days. Every time he'd repeat those stupid words, he'd make some sort of movement showing how entertained he was that he was now the tallest one of the group. So what if he'd stopped becoming taller and Naruto was still growing. Hah! One part of Naruto hadn't grown much!

"Well, looks like one part of you is still tiny." Sasuke smirked.

"His penis looks like a 10 year old's" Sai chimed in.

"Hey!" Naruto shouted. But then he smirked at them. "So what if I'm small, I don't see either one of you with girlfriends!"

"That's-" Sai started to respond but Sasuke shook his head no firmly, and Sai stopped. Naruto was still very uncomfortable around Sai because he was gay. Naruto wasn't ready to learn his male best friend, the person he thought of as his brother, was also gay. Sasuke didn't know if he could ever tell Naruto that he had feelings for him. Sasuke sighed, rebuilding this friendship was difficult sometimes.

Sai observed both Sasuke and Naruto, trying to figure out what was going on between them. He wondered how the two of them had become best friends, they were so different. He was less different than either one to the other, but somehow neither felt as close a bond to him. Friendships were a mysterious thing.

Naruto got out of the hot springs with the smirk still on his face, but inside he felt embarrassed- why did he end up with a little one? He felt weird about the conversation too. Sai's gay and obsessed with penises, ugh, but why did Sasuke start talking about them?

Oh! Maybe he got pissed off by me bragging about being taller than him now. He had to show he was still superior in some similar way. Naruto still felt uncomfortable though- he couldn't help noticing when Sasuke commented, that he had the biggest one of the three of them. Ugh! Why am I thinking about penises at all! Think of Sakura chan, wet and naked and willing... Naruto grinned, oh yeah, that was more like it!

Sasuke felt a twinge of regret for taunting Naruto that way. It was childish, and obviously Naruto was plenty big enough to please Sakura. He'd stumbled across them three times in the past month, going at it. He'd discreetly turned partly away and kept watch over their safety. Sakura certainly seemed to be really enjoying it from her squeals and moans.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, women's passions had no interest for him, even one he felt a close bond to. In fact, he was happy for Naruto and Sakura that they had a mutual love so strong. They had been so alike under the surface, even back when they were kids.

Sasuke had been annoyed having to deal with her constant fangirling then. He didn't understand it, he was nothing like the image she was worshipping, Naruto was much more like that than he'd ever be. It looks like Sakura finally figured that out.

At least with Karin she had no fairy tale images of him he had to deal with, it was just outright lust because she thought he was "hot". Still, it had been irritating. He hadn't been that surprised she threw him over when he returned to Konoha. It was sort of a relief to be free from all her leering and rubbing against him.

Still, he'd been around her and Suigetsu long enough to wonder what would happen to them. He smirked, imagining Karin and Suigetsu ending up together. The way they fought each other, they either would kill each other or end up together. That reminded him a bit of Naruto and Sakura, except Naruto had never been hostile toward Sakura, and Sakura had always shown some hints she actually liked Naruto, whether she knew it or not.

Naruto and Sakura hadn't been told this, but the Hokage had appointed him Naruto and Sakura's personal bodyguard. As the successors to her two jobs, their safety had to be factored in, even as ANBU. Both would have resisted this level of personal protection, so it was a secret from them. Sasuke took this role very seriously. He had been known for his single-mindedness since childhood. This time it would be for others he cared about, rather than himself.

Sakura had been embarrassed and annoyed about the conversation she'd overheard from the men's side of the hot spring. They were all idiots! Why are guys so obsessed about penis size? It didn't matter after all. In fact, she'd heard from more experienced kunoichi, that bigger guys could make it less pleasurable not more- their size, combined with an arrogant stupidity that they need do nothing more but show off the size of their organ in the way of foreplay.

She had encountered this silly arrogance in her medical treatments. There was one shinobi in particular... he was just so proud of the size of his member. Little did he know that all the women at the hospital mocked him for this attitude. They had laughingly labeled him "Mr. Giant Cock". No training medics or nurses treated him, only experienced medic nin, who could blandly ignore his blatant expressions of pride in the size of his penis.

The first time she had treated the man she had to control her urge to throw him out the third storey window. He should be glad that time he had been injured so badly he was bedridden. She had treated him a couple of times since then, and each time it got easier to mock him in her mind while her expression remained bland and faintly bored. She didn't tell Naruto about this guy because he'd just get mad uselessly. They had the idiot under control. Tsunade had a close watch on him, if he ever made an unwanted pass at a woman, he'd be in Konoha jail before that day was over. So far he'd never gone that far, just the stupid showing off.

Sakura heard the door click. It slid back to reveal a sheepish looking Naruto.

"You heard us, didn't you? Sorry."

"It's okay. Come here." She smiled reassuredly. Once he settled in beside her she continued. "It's a myth all women like bigger ones. I sure wouldn't some giant thing pushing into me, ugh."

Naruto looked concerned. "I know I'm small, but does it still hurt when I first come inside you?"

"Not since about the sixth time we did it. It feels really good actually. I like that stretch of muscles down there. It's like a good warm up exercise, everything stretches and just feels great."

Naruto grinned wickedly, "So want a good warm up workout?"

Sakura giggled and rolled on top of him, leering as she untied his robe. Naruto smiled and relaxed. This time she wanted to play the dominant role. She liked to be seduced by him, and for the first couple of weeks they had been having sex, she almost always wanted that. But recently, she had started seducing him when she found out he liked to be seduced too. Sometimes, they'd even make it a challenge- who would seduce the other first, it was almost like sparring.

They'd never be bored with each other. He chuckled lustily, as a wicked gleam appeared in Sakura's eyes as her crotch ground against his. She was now just clothed in thin panties and he was naked. He imagined them as old as Ero Senin and Baasama and still doing this. They'd be legends in Konoha, scandalizing everyone!

They soon were both naked and playfully making love rolling around on the floor, teasing each other alternating dominant roles and touching each other in ways that they loved while their bodies were moving together, both together and separate.

After they were finally satiated they fixed the futons and pushed them together. They cuddled and kissed in the blissful afterglow.

"What's the first thing you'll do as Hokage?"

"Kiss my wife."

Sakura giggled, and gave him a light kiss. "Like that?"

"Nope! Like this!" He pulled her close and kissed her passionately.


	6. Chapter 6

Shukuya

Chapter 6

Being away from Naruto is the hardest part of this mission, Sakura mused. She wondered how his mission was going. Like hers, it was an A ranked so she wasn't too worried, but she couldn't help being a little bit.

Sakura glanced over to Yamato taichou, who had two other shinobi immobilized. These guys were rumored to be more remnants of the Akatsuki; they were going to try to take them alive so they could be interrogated. The Akatsuki had to be eliminated, they were a threat to all the ninja countries- a poison that must be cleansed from the world. For almost any other enemy some mercy might be extended, but the Akatsuki deserved none.

Yamato found it hard to believe that Sakura had been weak at taijustu as a Genin. She had taken down three near elite ninja in less than a minute. No one could deny she was elite now, in every way. Soon she would likely exceed the Hokage on all skill levels- all from her own efforts.

"That's the last of them." Sakura said as she gave another shinobi a blow that rendered him unconscious.

"Let's head back. I'll send a message to the Hokage." Yamato launched a messenger bird.

Naruto took off his shirt and tossed it into the basket. He grinned, Sakura chan had him trained. She hated his tendency to toss his dirty clothes on the floor and not bother to pick it up until he had a full load to wash.

The third day after Sakura moved in this basket was on the floor and firm note was on his nightstand, in the bathroom, and in the kitchen. He got the picture, and from then on tried his best to remember. He'd even written himself a note about it. That had earned him a kiss, which soon led to more exciting things… Naruto leered, then frowned, knowing she wouldn't be back home tonight. He hoped it was going well and she was coming home right now. He was glad his mission was over and he could get out of those gross feeling clothes.

That shirt reeked. It had been an awful mission- not so much what he and Kakashi sensei had to do, it was just a fairly normal A level spy mission, but it involved days slogging through mud and an algae choked creek. A few times they had to quickly drop into the muck, much to Naruto's disgust. Naruto grimaced at the memory and at having to write a mission report. He hated those. It was so much easier to write one when he and Sakura chan were on a mission. She let him read hers, it helped him figure out how to write his. Baasama knew it, and groused at how lousy his mission reports were when he went on missions without Sakura.

"So just send me with her all the time." He'd said with a grin.

Tsunade smirked, "Would make it easier on me." Then she sighed, " No, you need to learn how to write these better on your own. As Hokage, it's not just things you have to read and sign, you'll have to write plenty of things too, and do it well. The best way to learn how to do that is continuing to write. Reading Sakura's reports can help you learn how to write better reports. Next time, don't just look at what she writes, but how she writes."

"How she writes?"

Tsunade sighed. Naruto wasn't exactly stupid, but sometimes you had to hunt hard how to tell him things so they'd sink in. Maybe it was how the bijuu was put in as a newborn, maybe it had damaged his brain in some fashion. Certainly Minato and Kushina had grasped things easier than their son did.

"I don't understand."

"Hmm, let me try again." Maybe if I break it down into steps and teach him one point at a time…. "Okay, the first step might be to break your report down into days. Tell me everything mission related you remember from each day. For now just do that. You might want to get a small notebook to take on missions and write down when you stop for a rest."

"Sakura chan does that."

Tsunade smiled, so he had noticed that even if he hadn't done it. Sakura wrote her notes in code. It was a bit of risk to not tell Naruto to do this yet, but one step at a time.

Kakashi wrote out his mission report. He paused and thought on how Naruto reminded him more and more of Minato sensei. He sighed, that both awed him and saddened him. It brought back painful memories, as did the now obvious romance between Naruto and Sakura.

"Kakashi, I think you know of my sensei, Jiraiya. He is one of the legendary three of our village. I've asked him to take over your jonin training. I'm going to be Hokage now." Minato smiled, but his eyes were shadowed with sadness. "I'm sorry I cannot train you any longer, but Jiraiya sensei is the best teacher you could ever have, better than me."

"Hi kid." Jiraiya grinned at Kakashi. "I hear you have all kinds of talent, wonder if you can face up to a Sannin."

That had been his introduction to Jiraiya. Team Minato had broken apart after Obito's death, each member placing the blame on themselves. Minato sensei for leaving them behind in a situation that had been more dangerous than he'd realized. Rin blamed herself, because she hadn't been a good enough fighter to get away, she got kidnapped, and that led to Obito's death in the rescue. Kakashi blamed himself for being too cocky, his decision led to Obito's death.

Each surviving member had ended up withdrawing from the others. Rin stopped going on missions and became strictly a medic nin at Konoha hospital. That didn't save her from a violent death, though. Just one year later she died in the Kyuubi attack, on the field trying to heal injured shinobi. The Kyuubi killed her and all the shinobi around her, including Iruka's parents. Minato sensei died that night as did the woman he loved, Kushina Uzumaki.

Kakashi felt a wave of shame over the way he had acted toward her. He had hated Kushina Uzumaki for taking his sensei away. He placed all the blame on her, not understanding at the time that she had been not only Minato's lover, but his healer. She had brought him back from the despair and guilt over Obito's death. It hadn't been Kushina's fault that Minato had chosen not to teach him anymore.

He had been just as guilty with his choice not to associate with Rin anymore. He knew of her feelings for him, but felt he did not deserve Rin. Obito should have been with her. Then a year later she was gone too, and he still regretted not telling her that he didn't blame her for Obito's death. He blamed himself.

Seeing the growing mutual love between Naruto and Sakura had filled him with envy. He'd never had a love like that. He realized now, that his actions as their team leader since Naruto's return, had been negatively colored by that envy. He would separate them again and again.

He didn't think Naruto had caught on why, but he had a suspicion Sakura had. She started to look unhappy when he was their team leader, while she smiled when Yamato was. It was when they were assigned to ANBU that he finally realized what he had been doing. He was envious of what they had, just like he had been of his sensei and Kushina Uzumaki. Around Naruto he could restrain that envy but with Sakura, even during her ANBU training it colored his every reaction.

He should withdraw from Naruto and Sakura's lives before he caused a greater rift between them and himself. They didn't need any training or guidance from him anymore, anyway. He'd ask the Hokage if he could now resume regular Jonin status, clearly his students were now all top of the elite shinobi. Even Naruto was now completely capable of being an ANBU leader or, he smiled fondly, Hokage. Kakashi knew now, Naruto's "impossible dream" was clearly in his reach. Even he was confident now, Naruto would be Hokage, and soon. He'd enjoy watching Naruto and Sakura achieve their goals, from a distance. It was time to let go anyway, let them stand on their own feet as elite shinobi.

Then he thought of his third student, the one, as a Genin, had been in his every thought. He knew more of the Uchiha history than Sasuke had at the time, and had kept that from him, hoping it would save him from the Uchiha curse of mental instability. A curse that had afflicted every Uchiha he knew, save Obito. It turned out Sasuke fell to that affliction anyway. But somehow Naruto and Sakura had dragged him back from the final abyss. Sasuke did still need him, Kakashi thought. He needed Naruto and Sakura too, and on a much deeper level than he needed Kakashi, but there were still things Kakashi could do for Sasuke as a teacher. Naruto and Sakura had given him something to stand against the howling madness but Kakashi could teach him how to rebuild himself from bottom up. Kakashi had struggled with that after he had lost everyone that had been precious to him in the space of a year, and still dealing with the shame over his father taking his own life. Sasuke would have to rebuild his life somewhat like he had to- twice. He sighed, Obito had the outrage he should have had, over the way his father had been shamed into total emotional destruction. The Hatake clan had been shunned and disgraced over his father valuing his teammates over the mission. The mission failure had proven to have devastating consequences, even thet eam mates he had saved, his old Genin teammates, shunned him.

Kakashi, instead of being angry at Konoha, had while his fathered declined felt shame, and after his suicide, directed his anger at his father. He turned cold and rigidly followed the rules. He pushed himself relentlessly trying to erase the shame on the Hatake clan he felt his father had brought on it. Obito's death had shook him to the core. Then when Rin, and his sensei had died the next year, he had resolved to make sure no one he ever was on a team would die on account of something he should or should not have done. While he was no longer seen as cold, he was regarded as someone who was very private.

Probably the only person in Konoha who could read him well was Jiraiya. It was because of the bond they developed after the Kyuubi attack. Both had been in grief, both had a close bond to Minato Namikaze, one as sensei the other as student. Jiraiya had coped with the loss the same way he always did, indulging even more in his known vices. Kakashi wasn't into the peeping stuff, but the erotic novels Jiraiya wrote had been the perfect escape. He had been underage for the novels then, but Jiraiya had scoffed at the age limit when he saw Kakashi's enthusiastic interest. "You're old enough, kid." He'd grinned.

Kakashi chuckled. He didn't think porn novels were quite right for the harmless escape outlet for Sasuke. Certainly not the heterosexual ones Jiraiya wrote. Plus, he doubted Sasuke was of the temperament to have the patience to read a novel on any subject. However, He'd been surprised that Naruto had been so taken with Jiraiya's only non pornographic novel, the same novel his sensei had called his favorite book…. But no, if he thought on it, he could see where the right type novel might draw Naruto, but Sasuke, never, too impatient, and his sense of wonder was too low, he'd regard it as a time waster, nothing more. Kakashi sighed, Sasuke may have to discover his escape valve on his own. But he could talk to him at least. Naruto and Sakura had brought him to the point that now others could help him. Kakashi knew he was one of those people.

The next morning Sakura and Yamato retuned from their mission. A larger ANBU team had taken the presumed low level Akatsuki into custody. Sakura was looking forward to being in a nice warm bed with Naruto tonight. She blushed lightly at that thought, and her lips were turned up in a dreamy smile.

Yamato looked knowingly at Sakura, "He'll probably meet you at the gate."

"And treat me to Ichiraku ramen." She giggled.

Less than a kilometer from Konoha's gates they had met up with Sasuke, Sai and Ino who had been returning from their mission.

"Hey!" Sakura shouted a greeting.

Ino smiled weakly. Sakura could tell something bad had happened on the mission.

"S ranked mission" Sasuke supplied, his expression grim.

Sai nodded, "A lot like your first one."

"Oh crap." Sakura ran over and hugged Ino.

"I shouldn't have doubted you about the nightmares, Sakura. I think I'll have ones about this mission the rest of my life."

"It's okay. Come on, I'll treat you to whatever you want to eat and we can spend the rest of the day at your parents' flower shop."

"But the debriefing…"

"She'll understand, you can do it tomorrow. Sasuke and Sai can take care of what needs to be done today."

"I'll take your mission report to the Hokage, Sakura."

Sakura handed her report to Yamato, and he walked on ahead of them. Sasuke and Sai followed him.

"But Naruto will probably want to be with you, Sakura." Ino protested weakly.

"it's alright, he'll understand. If we go to Ichiraku he'll probably come along." Sakura smiled.

"Ichiraku sounds okay. I don't want to look at barbecue right now…"

Sakura hugged Ino again. "Okay, lets go there."

When they reached the gate Naruto was waiting, but instead of the enthusiastic greeting he had been anticipating making, his expression was solemn. Sasuke and Sai had briefly explained the situation when they arrived at the gate.

"We're going to Ichiraku, Naruto, want to come along?"

"Sure." Naruto kept his tone neutral, but he couldn't hold back a smile.

Ino slowly felt herself coming back to normal a bit after being around Naruto and Sakura for a while. They had recovered from the shock of an S rank mission, so could she. She waited patiently with a faint smile as Naruto and Sakura shared a quick but passionate kiss. Naruto went off to pick up some things from the grocery that they needed, while Sakura and Ino continued on toward the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

"Mom will be glad to see both of us, bet she'll have us working in fifteen minutes." Ino commented as the three strolled toward Ichiraku's

Sakura laughed, Ino's mom definitely was like that. Sakura didn't mind it though. While she wasn't quite as in love with flowers as Ino was, she found being around them pleasurable. Working around flowers was a nice change from either missions or hospital work. Of course Sakura couldn't help mentally categorizing the plants into useful and just pleasing to the eye or the nose. Ino didn't mind talking about that, having had medical training too, but Ino's mom found it annoying. She claimed it turned off customers. Sakura grinned.

Ino's mom would pay her for the occasional help with the current hourly wage for shop clerks and a gift of whatever plant or bunch of flowers caught her eye. Naruto would love that, especially if it was a potted plant.

Naruto had a love for potted plants like Ino had for cut flowers with strong scents. Naruto tended to prefer non flowering plants, just lots of leafy growth. Sakura liked scentless flowering plants and had introduced a couple of small ones into the apartment since she moved in. She was looking forward to seeing their blooms this coming spring. But this time she'd bring home a plant she'd already noticed. It looked healthy but had become rather messy in it's shape. It couldn't be cutback without harming it at this time of year.

Sakura knew it wouldn't sell, but Naruto would love it. The plant had some herbal properties too so she could get some benefit come late spring when it would be time to trim it back. The stems and leaves both could be used for medical purposes. The leaves also made a kind of soothing tea when steeped in hot water.

Naruto strolled into the shop while they were still working. He grinned at them and said,

"Decided I could be useful too."

Ino's mother smiled brightly, overhearing from the work room. She walked out, brushing the dirt from her hands. "I could use some help moving these saplings into the showroom."

"Sure!"

Naruto enjoyed the work, and having both Sakura and Ino watching him work, especially Sakura. He didn't mind Ino looking at him appreciatively, only when she occasionally leered in his direction did it make him uncomfortable. Now when Sakura chan leered at him that was a completely different story, he loved it, but it made him horny and he tended to get clumsy and really stupid when he was horny. He hoped she wouldn't leer while he was carrying one of these trees, he didn't want Ino's mom to get mad at him.

Sakura was restraining herself from the leer she wanted to direct at Naruto, it made him a bumbling idiot, except in bed. In bed it made him even more skillful at his seductive abilities. Later, she'd leer at him later- a lot!

Ino sighed, "I'd never have my team mates doing this, well maybe Chouji, but we'd have to feed him and you know how that is…"

Sakura nodded. Even without Chouji around both girls discussed his bloodline trait's downside delicately.

After Naruto had moved the last of the saplings into the showroom Ino's mother nodded at Naruto and Sakura, "I know you two want to be alone at your place." She handed both money from the register and said, "Pick any plant you want"

Sakura picked up the plant she wanted, and looked surprised at Naruto's choice of one of the miniature trees. It was a tree that would flower.

"Miniature cherry, Sakura chan. Tiny and beautiful, just like you."

Sakura blushed as both Ino and her mom "Awwed" at the sentiment.

"Lucky you, Sakura, he's such a romantic." Ino sighed.

Naruto grinned at the compliment, and couldn't resist a flourishing bow.

All three women giggled, unable to resist the goofy charm of the overblown gesture, especially with addition of him holding a small tree in a large pot in his other arm.

As the door closed behind Naruto and Sakura, Ino's mother sighed and smiled nostalgically. "He'll be a good and handsome Hokage, just like the Fourth."

Ino had shared with her mother that Lady Tsunade had picked Naruto as her successor, but she had kept the secret that Sakura had shared with her that Naruto was Minato Namikaze's son. It was hard keeping any secrets from her mom, but Sakura had made her promise not to tell anyone with that deadly serious look that Ino knew must be obeyed.

Ino wondered if her mom had guessed it though. She had talked about the Fourth for years in such a way that she knew her mom had crushed on him like she had crushed on Sasuke Uchiha. Surely her mom would see the obvious resemblance between the Fourth and Naruto. She probably had known Naruto's mom too.

Sakura hadn't told Ino much about Naruto's mom, just Naruto got his family name from her for his own safety as an infant, she had come from another country as a child, and died the night Naruto was born. Ino didn't know the woman's first name or anything else. The relationship must have been kept completely secret. Ino guessed Naruto's mom must have had to live separate from the Fourth and he could only visit her in absolute secrecy. What a tragic romance.

She was glad for Naruto and Sakura's sake that they weren't living in a world like that. Still, even in the world they lived in a father to be, still on active duty, died. Losing Asuma sensei was hard for her, how devastating it must be for Kurenai sensei. Ino knew Shikamaru had become very serious in making sure Kurenai sensei was safe and well. She should visit Kurenai sensei and the baby tomorrow.

It would be soothing to see that adorable little girl, she was so cute, and Kurenai would probably appreciate feminine company, even if she was a lot younger than her sensei's widow. The only women she knew that visited Kurenai regularly were Tsunade, Anko and surprisingly, Sakura.

Hmm, maybe it wasn't that surprising, Sakura always was a deeply compassionate person, and she liked being around babies and little kids. Sakura's going to be a great mom. She was the favorite medic nin of all the little ones that came through the hospital, she gave off this soothing maternal vibe that instantly put them at ease. Ino envied her that.

Kids liked Ino too, but it was the school aged ones and the young Genin, especially the girls. The young Genin boys liked her too but in the adolescent fantasy sense. Hmm, maybe she should tone down the sexiness a bit around the boys just hitting puberty. Sakura had suggested that when Ino had rolled her eyes about the nurses complaining to her about the messes they had to clean up from said boys wet dreams. Ino shrugged- it gave the boys something to distract them from the pain and boredom of recovering in the hospital.

Genin boys were usually some of the most difficult patients to deal with, but they behaved themselves around her, so a few messy bed sheets were probably a small price to pay. It amused her that boys that would be obnoxious to almost everyone else, would be trying to act their best around her.

The Hokage scared most those boys into silent obedience, but they'd test even Sakura, who they knew had a higher tolerance for bad behavior than the Hokage. Having a boyfriend that had been one of those type adolescent boys, that she had fallen in love with, probably explains that tolerance that the Hokage lacked. Although, from the tales she'd heard from her parents, Lady Tsunade's temper had been hotter in her younger days than it was since she became Hokage. Naruto apparently had something to do with that too.

Naruto and Sakura set down their plants, and immediately began to undress each other, the evening meal forgotten in their desire to be together in the most intimate sense. They kissed their way to the bed and fell onto it, getting into a playful tickling match in the midst of their passion. Finally breathless from both laughter and passion they slowly made love.

After cuddling for a while in silence, Sakura quietly said, "Do you think Ino will be okay?"

"Yeah it's not like we'll ever forget what we had to do on our S ranked mission, but it becomes less constant a nightmare after a while. But still, I want to create a world where S ranked missions never have to happen."

"I believe in you Naruto. I know you will."

"With you by my side, believe it, Sakura chan." He chuckled at using his childhood tagline, and hugged her warmly. He did believe it, that with Sakura beside him, anything was possible.


End file.
